Cinnamon Buns

This cinnamon bun (or cinnamon scroll) recipe comes "Perfect Cinnamon Buns" from Veggie Yum Yum. She has a great video of the kneading and rolling process here. Using GF flour I found that the dough wasn't as elastic and the buns didn't rise as much but still tasted delicious!
This recipe will make 12 large buns or 24 mini buns.

Perfect Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture
4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (a little less than 2 packets)
1 tsp Sugar
1 Cup Water, 110º F / 40º C

Dough
1 Cup Soy milk (I used Silk Organic Soy Milk)
2/3 Cup Sugar (I used Florida Crystals Organic Sugar which is vegan)
2/3 Cup Vegan Margarine (I used Earth Balance)
2 tsp Salt
2 Egg Replacer Eggs, prepared
Yeast Mixture (from above)
6 Cups GF Flour plus more for kneading (I used around 800g of Red Hill GF All Purpose Baking Flour)

Dough Filling
1/2 Cup Vegan Margarine, melted
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
3 Tbs Cinnamon

Pan Sauce
1/2 Cup Vegan Margarine, melted
1/3 Cup Sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 Cup Vegan Margarine
1/3 Cup Vegan Cream Cheese (I used Tofutti)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Powdered Sugar


Method

Combine yeast mixture and set aside to proof.
From the dough ingredients, combine the soy milk, sugar, earth balance, salt, and egg replacers in a small sauce pan.
Heat on a low heat until earth balance is melted and all the ingredients are well combined, but do not let the mixture get too hot.
The yeast should now be nice and foamy (proofed).
Combine it with the warmed liquid you just made; make sure it’s not too hot, or you will kill your yeast.
Place 4 cups of all purpose flour in a large bowl. Add the warmed wet ingredients.
Beat the batter well with a wooden spoon.
The dough will be very wet and liquid, much more like a batter than a dough.
Add 2 more cups of flour and mix in partially. It’ll look like a wreck. That’s fine!
Turn out the dough onto a large table/kneading surface, scraping out everything in the bowl.
Begin kneading, gently at first. It’s going to take about 8 minutes to get the dough where it needs to be.
Add more flour only if the dough starts sticking to the table and there is no more dry flour to be worked into the dough.
You want the dough to end up smooth and elastic, and slightly tacky, but not sticky.
You should be able to knead it on a bare table without it sticking.
Once the dough is ready, place it in an oiled bowl, covered with oiled plastic wrap, to rise for 90 minutes in a warm spot.
If you’re lacking a warm spot, turn your oven on low for 1 minute (remember to turn it off after 1 minute), then turn it off and place the dough in the oven to rise with the door closed.

Once the dough has risen completely, it’ll leave a little dent when you poke it. If it springs back, it needs more time.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it down (this is part is in the video above).
You want it press or roll it out into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle. You can use a roller if you want, but it’s not necessary.
Pour the 1/2 cup of melted earth balance on the dough. Brush it so the dough is covered completely. It’s okay if it pools in some locations.
Mix together the cinnamon and sugar from the dough filling above. Sprinkle it evenly over the dough.
Prepare a large baking dish, like a lasagna dish, by pouring in the melted earth balance from the pan sauce ingredients above. Brush the sides of the pan so they are greased.
Add the sugar, spreading evenly over the bottom of pan. The pan is now ready for the buns.

Roll the dough up gently, starting from one of the short sides. Let it rest on the seem once it’s rolled up completely.
Cut 12 rolls with dental floss or sewing thread. Place the rolls in the pan. (Ignore the fact that they are practically floating in earth balance and sugar.)
Cover the buns and let rise for 45 minutes if you will be baking these immediately.

Preheat the oven to 350º F / 180º C, remembering to remove the rising buns if they are in there!
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes.

In a saucepan stir together the frosting ingredients on a low heat.Whisk until there are no lumps.
Drizzle the buns warm with frosting.
Cooled buns can be microwaved for 45-60 seconds before eating.


NB: If baking the next day, cover the buns and let rise in the refrigerator overnight. Bake in the morning with no need for more rising.
If making the buns for a date in the future, cover the buns and freeze immediately. The day before you are ready to use them, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then let warm up on the counter the next morning for an hour. In any case, when ready to bake, follow the directions above.